We take a look at the newsmakers in the world of motorcycling this past week.

The week that went by was quite eventful for motorcycle aficionados. There was plenty of action both within and outside India. Without further ado, let’s look at what made the biggest splash in the world of motorcycles this past week.

KTM launches the smallest Duke yet

While everyone was eagerly awaiting news on the 790 Duke launch in India, KTM quietly went ahead and launched the 125 Duke instead. Inheriting the tag of the smallest Duke from the 200 Duke, the 125 is a feature-packed motorcycle that shares its underpinnings with the 200. In fact, its power figures, inclusion of single-channel ABS, fat tyres and high-quality components put it way beyond the current crop of 125cc motorcycles in India. The 125 Duke is priced at Rs 1.18 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Is your interest piqued?Read more about the baby Duke here.

Royal Enfield’s Classic-based Scrambler spotted testing again

Social media was ablaze in June this year with news and pictures of an alleged Scrambler motorcycle from Royal Enfield. There was no news since, either about the motorcycle or its possible specifications. However, the lull was broken this past week aswe spotted the same motorcycle on the roads of Pune. The icing on the cake? It featured an ‘On test by ARAI’ sticker on the license plate, which hints at an imminent launch. The motorcycle in question is said to be based on the Royal Enfield Classic 500.

The Bajaj Pulsar 150 gets yet another update

The venerable Pulsar 150 has been a success story unlike any other for Bajaj. That Bajaj updated the series to keep it fresh, shouldn’t come as a surprise then, as the model continues to be the highest selling 150cc motorcycle in India. The Pulsar 150 range received two updates in a span of one week on November 26 and November 29. While the first update enhanced the visual appeal of the entirePulsar 150 range for 2019, the second update saw the launch of a new colour and graphics scheme and is tagged thePulsar 150 Neon 2019 collection.

Engines are expected to be carried forward, will be updated to BSVI in 2020

The 2019 Hyundai Grand i10 has been spied testing again, albeit in camouflage. The first time it was spotted, it was alongside Hyundai’s upcoming sub-4m compact SUV. And now, it has been spotted on the Pune-Mumbai highway, still in its testing phase. It's expected to be launched in the second half of 2019.

The new Grand i10 is likely to be bigger than the current model and will perhaps be underpinned by either a new platform or a reworked version of the existing one. In terms of design, we expect the 2019 model to get similar styling cues as the new Santro, i.e a larger front grille and sharper design elements. We expect Hyundai to carry forward the engines from the current model - 1.2-litre petrol (83PS/113Nm) and diesel (75PS/190Nm) engines. It will be interesting to see whether Hyundai offers the AMT in Grand i10 or not. The current Grand i10 petrol gets a 4-speed AT (torque converter).

Our peek at the interiors reaffirms what appears to be a new floating design for the centre-mounted touchscreen infotainment unit. We expect it to be a 7-inch display with smartphone integration via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. On adifferent occasion when we had a better look at the interiors, we’d spotted an updated automatic climate control interface as well, which is likely to be offered on higher variants.

Hyundai currently sells the Grand i10at a starting price of Rs 4.91 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and the new one is expected to be priced in the same range. Like the current model, the new Grand i10 will rival the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Ford Figo in India. For now, Hyundai is still putting the hatchback through its paces, but stay tuned to CarDekho for further updates.

The new variant gets small visual updates that accentuate the bike’s appeal

The Pulsar 150 Neon is priced at Rs 64,998 (ex-showroom Delhi), same as the standard motorcycle

Continues to be powered by the same 150cc engine as the standard bike

The accents come in three neon colours - red, silver and yellow

Bajaj Auto has launched a new variant of the Pulsar 150, called the Neon. It gets subtle colour accents that heighten the motorcycle’s visual appeal. The classic Pulsar styling has been carried over, but these few visual updates do add a hint of premiumness, enough to differentiate it from the standard motorcycle. The Bajaj Pulsar 150 Neon goes on sale for Rs 64,998 (ex-showroom Delhi) which is the same as the standard bike, making it a nice value for money proposition.

The Pulsar 150 Neon comes with three new graphic shades, of which the neon red and neon silver options get a normal black colour as base. However, there’s an all-new matte black colour with neon yellow highlights as well, making it look snazzier. The coloured bits include the headlamp eyebrows, Pulsar logos, the under-seat mesh panel, rear 3D ‘150’ badging, rear grab handle and small decals on the alloy rims.

Here’s Bajaj’s official statement about the new Pulsar 150 Neon:

Bajaj Auto launches the new Pulsar 150 Neon 2019 Collection

Stylish and peppy new Pulsar 150 Neon in 3 colours

Upgrade to Sportsbikes at an exciting price of â‚¹ 64,998/- Ex showroom Delhi.

29th November, 2018: Bajaj Auto, leader in the sports motorcycle segment has introduced the all new Pulsar 150 Neon collection. The all new Pulsar 150 Neon 2019 collection comes with a young and peppy styling along with the sporty appeal and is for customers looking at a bike with size and performance above the 100/110 cc offerings. The new Pulsar 150 Neon is made available at an exciting introductory price of â‚¹ 64,998/- ex showroom Delhi and is available across all Bajaj Auto dealerships in India.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Eric Vas, President (Motorcycles), Bajaj Auto Ltd said, “Pulsar has been the #1 sports bike in India for the past 17 years. The Pulsar 150 Neon, with its fresh new looks, outstanding road presence and proven performance is set to be the first choice for any customer willing to move beyond a 100/110 cc bike. At a price of â‚¹ 64,998/- ex-showroom Delhi, upgrading to the power of a 150cc bike has never been easier.”

The slightly quirky appearance of the pre-facelift model has now been toned down

India launch expected in 2019

Also gets an electric AWD powertrain option that is unlikely to make it to India

Toyota has taken wraps off the mid-life refreshed version of thePrius at the ongoing LA Auto Show in Los Angeles. The pre-facelift Prius also made its debut at the same venue in 2015. The 2019 Prius features styling tweaks, mechanical changes and additional features over the previous model which is on sale in India.

The 2019 Toyota Prius has received a revised front fascia, which definitely looks more mature, with some of the quirky bits been toned down. The new headlamps are more like the plug-in hybrid version of the Prius, the Prime, with a more streamlined, swept-up layout. The bumper too is relatively less sculpted and now packs circular fog lamps instead of the triangular units that were offered before. The tail lamps have been redesigned: they don’t extend vertically down now and rather turn inwards. The updated Prius’ interior gets new upholstery and an improved Toyota Entune infotainment system.

While it carries forward the same 1.8-litre petrol hybrid powertrain as the pre-facelift model, an AWD (all-wheel-drive) has now been added with this update. Christened the Prius AWD-e, it an electric all-wheel-drive system and features an electric motor on the rear axle that assists in initial acceleration or whenever the system requires grip or stability, up to a maximum speed of 43 mph (69 kmph).

Recently spotted at various dealerships, the ABS-equipped Thunderbird 500 X has finally been launched by Royal Enfield at Rs 2.13 lakh.

Royal Enfield launches Thunderbird 500 X with ABS.

Price is Rs 14,000 more than the non-ABS variant of the bike.

Royal Enfield is likely to discontinue the non-ABS Thunderbird 500 X.

Royal Enfield has launched the much-anticipated Thunderbird 500 X ABS at Rs 2.13 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). This represents a price hike of a little over Rs 14,000 over the non-ABS version of the motorcycle. Moreover, the launch of the Thunderbird 500 X ABS likely means curtains down for the non-ABS version.

The Thunderbird 500 Xis a factory-made custom version of the Thunderbird cruiser. The 500 X features several styling elements that help it differentiate itself from the standard Thunderbird. The most prominent among them are the bright-coloured tank, colour-coordinated rim stickers and 9-spoke alloy wheels shod with tubeless tyres. The cruiser sports a black-themed bodywork that contrasts well with the two colour options (Getaway Orange & Drifter Blue) it offers.

Looks apart, the 500 X shares its underpinnings with the normal Thunderbird. This means the ABS-equipped Thunderbird 500 X is powered by the same 499cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine as before, producing 27.5PS of power and 41.3Nm of torque. The engine boasts of fuel-injection and comes mated to a 5-speed transmission. Braking duties are handled by a 280mm disc at the front with a 240mm disc doing duty at the rear.

By launching the ABS variant of the Thunderbird 500 X, Royal Enfield has taken the fight to the Perak, Jawa's own interpretation of a factory-custom bobber that it unveiled recenty alongside the Jawa and the 42. More importantly, Royal Enfield is now one step closer towards equipping its entire range of motorcycles with ABS as theClassic, the Himalayan and the normal Thunderbird series of motorcycles have already received the life-saving feature. The Bullet is now the only model from Royal Enfield yet to receive ABS.

Likely to be available in VXi and ZXi variants, the CNG models are expected to be priced in the Rs 8.60 lakh to Rs 9.50 lakh range

CNG will be coupled with the petrol SHVS technology on the new Ertiga

Launch likely in mid-2019

Expect fuel efficiency to increase from 22.8kmpl of the outgoing CNG models

Unlike the previous generation, Maruti seemed to have skipped a CNG model for the 2018 Ertiga when it was launched yesterday. But now, sources in the know have informed us that the 2018 Maruti Ertigawill soon get the eco-friendly fuel variant in 2019. Maruti officials have confirmed that the new 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine with SHVS tech will be fitted with CNG.

The K15B internal combustion petrol engine on the 2018 Maruti Ertiga already comes coupled with a dual-battery SHVS system for start/stop and torque assist functions. This means that the four-cylinder engine is already capable of stellar fuel efficiency numbers - Maruti Suzuki claims 19.3kmpl. With a CNG unit in the mix, the new-generation Ertiga’s fuel efficiency might as well exceed the previous one’s 22.8 kmpl (combined).

The previous generation Ertiga was sold with a petrol-CNG combination and amassed good sales numbers from private buyers and fleet operators alike. It was powered by an i-GPI (intelligent gas port injection) dual-engine control unit, the same one which is also used by several other Maruti products such as the WagonR, Eeco and Alto.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga: Variants Check

With the CAFE (corporate average fuel efficiency) norms set to be implemented soon, having a CNG variant will reduce emissions across the product range. We expect more and more manufacturer’s to follow Maruti’s footsteps and offer CNG variants soon.

Expect Tata to roll out an automatic variant at a later date as it’s been spied testing already

The Harrier will be powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine mated to a 6-speed MT

Expect an automatic transmission to be introduced a few months after the launch

Harrier will compete with the Jeep Compass in the sub-Rs 20 lakh compact SUV segment

Reviews Tata is expected to unveil the production-spec Harrier a few weeks ahead of its launch, which is expected to take place in January 2019. With the launch date fast approaching, we’ve been receiving more details about Tata’s upcoming flagship. While Tata has already confirmed that the Harrier will be powered by a 2.0-lite Kryotec diesel engine, we now know that it will only be available with a manual transmission at launch. This is quite surprising since a test mule of the SUV sporting an automatic gearbox has been spotted testing quite a few times. Tata has not revealed any details of the manual gearbox. However, we expect to it be a 6-speed unit.

Tata Harrier Revealed In Production Guise; Gets No Sunroof

Apart from the official info, a new set of spy shots that have surfaced online reveals more about the upcoming SUV. So let’s take a look at them.

The Harrier, as expected, features a floating touchscreen infotainment system. It looks big in size (bigger than Nexon’s 6.5-inch unit). The dashboard looks premium thanks to the wooden finish (like the concept) and a silver accent that runs along the entire width of the dashboard.

The new set of spy shots also reveal the Harrier’s instrument cluster. It consists of two parts. On the right sits an analogue dial for speed, while the left side gets a full-colour screen that displays the tachometer and MID (multi-info display).

While we know that the Harrier will get a cooled compartment in the front armrest apart from smartphone holders, the new spy shots reveal a stick-type manual adjustment lever for the ORVMS. However, we feel might these might be limited to the pre-production models. Being quite a premium SUV, expect Tata to offer electrically adjustable ORVMs in the Harrier right from the base variant.

Tata Harrier To Get Cooled Storage, Dedicated Smartphone Slots

The top-spec variant of the Harrier will get features like ESP, rear wiper and washer, defogger and alloy wheels. What it will not get is a sunroof like the one seen on the H5X Concept that was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. What do you think of the Harrier after seeing these latest images? Let us know in the comments section below.

The new Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is available in 4 variants: L, V, Z and Z+

Both the engines are available in 4 variants with manual transmission.

Only the petrol engine gets an automatic transmission, in V and Z variants.

Projector headlamps, dual front airbags and rear parking sensors are standard features on all variants of the new Ertiga.

Maruti Suzuki has launched the second generation Ertigain India at a price of Rs 7.44 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi) for the base variant. The new generation MPV can be had in four variants. Let’s have a look at the variant-wise features to find out what Maruti Suzuki is offering on the different variants of the Ertiga.

Before we dive into the features, let's first have a look at the engines on offer.

Engines

PETROL

DIESEL

Displacement

1.5-litre

1.3-litre

Power

103PS @ 6600rpm

89PS @ 4000rpm

Torque

138Nm @ 4400rpm

200Nm @ 1750rpm

Transmission

5-speed MT/4-speed AT

5-speed MT

Fuel Efficiency

19.34kmpl/18.89kmpl

25.47kmpl

Moving on, let’s take a look at the price of the different variants of the new 2018 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.

Variant-wise price

VARIANT AND POWERTRAIN

NEW ERTIGA 2018

OLD ERTIGA

PETROL

LXi MT

Rs 7.44 lakh

Rs 6.34 lakh

LXi MT (O)

NA

Rs 6.73 lakh

VXi MT

Rs 8.16 lakh

Rs 7.66 lakh

ZXi MT

Rs 8.99 lakh

Rs 8.27 lakh

ZXi+ MT

Rs 9.50 lakh

Rs 8.85 lakh

VXi AT

Rs 9.18 lakh

Rs 8.68 lakh

ZXi AT

Rs 9.95 lakh

NA

DIESEL

Variant and powertrain

New Ertiga 2018

Old Ertiga

LDi MT

Rs 8.84 lakh

Rs 8.79 lakh

LDi MT (O)

NA

Rs 8.86 lakh

VDi MT

Rs 9.56 lakh

Rs 9.58 lakh

ZDi MT

Rs 10.39 lakh

Rs 9.95 lakh

ZDi+ MT

Rs 10.90 lakh

Rs 10.69 lakh

Variant-wise features

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga LXI/LDI

The base-spec variants of the new Ertiga will get the following features:

Lights: Halogen projector headlamps, LED tail lamps.

Features:Central locking, 60:40 split folding second row of seats, 50:50 split folding third row of seats, manual air conditioning, 12V charging port in the front, power windows with driver’s side auto down function, steering wheel adjustable for tilt, air-cooled cupholders in the front.

Apart from the official info, a new set of spy shots that have surfaced online reveals more about the upcoming SUV. So let’s take a look at them.

The Harrier, as expected, features a floating touchscreen infotainment system. It looks big in size (bigger than Nexon’s 6.5-inch unit). The dashboard looks premium thanks to the wooden finish (like the concept) and a silver accent that runs along the entire width of the dashboard.

The new set of spy shots also reveal the Harrier’s instrument cluster. It consists of two parts. On the right sits an analogue dial for speed, while the left side gets a full-colour screen that displays the tachometer and MID (multi-info display).

While we know that the Harrier will get a cooled compartment in the front armrest apart from smartphone holders, the new spy shots reveal a stick-type manual adjustment lever for the ORVMS. However, we feel might these might be limited to the pre-production models. Being quite a premium SUV, expect Tata to offer electrically adjustable ORVMs in the Harrier right from the base variant.

The top-spec variant of the Harrier will get features like ESP, rear wiper and washer, defogger and alloy wheels. What it will not get is a sunroof like the one seen on the H5X Concept that was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. What do you think of the Harrier after seeing these latest images? Let us know in the comments section below.

The all-electric SUV global model is based on the regular ZS SUV, likely to be the second MG model for India

MG’s EZS SUV unveiled in China.

Likely to be MG’s second product in India, expected by June 2020.

Claimed range of 428km with 150PS of power and 350Nm of peak torque.

The EZS will be compete with the Kona Electric in India.

MG has taken the covers off of its new pure-electric SUV based on the ZS model at the Guangzhou motor show in China. As we reported earlier in June 2018, the ZS-based electric SUV is, in all likelihood, the e-SUV that MG has planned to be the second model for the Indian market. It is expected to arrive in mid-2020, as reported earlier.

The ZS pure-electric vehicle, badged ‘EZS,’ is good for 150PS and 350Nm from its electric motor mounted up front. MG Motor’s China site lists a claimed range of 428km and a 0-50kmph time of 3.1 seconds. The design looks unchanged from the regular ZS SUV model. MG Motor claims 30 minutes of fast charging will power the battery to 80 per cent from zero. The EZS also has features such as a panoramic sunroof and an 8-inch touchscreen display with a rotary drive mode selector on the central console tunnel.

MG Motor is likely to offer the electric ZS in India by mid-2020. The electric ZS is a global EV model for MG. It will be the carmaker’s second offering in India. The brand’s first model for India is expected to arrive in 2019. When it arrives, the EZS SUV will have to compete with the Hyundai Kona Electric, which is expected to be priced around Rs 25 lakh. The Hyundai’s launch is scheduled for the second half of 2019.